• The Tower Hall Theatre Foundation points to the pivotal role played by stage dramas in forming the nation’s socio-cultural fabric and what measures can be taken to promote its craft, depths, and grandeur

Stage dramas have played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s theatrical arts sector, and there are a plethora of examples that uphold that rich history. However, with new developments in the arts sphere, especially those that have distanced people from the theatrical arts, there is a pressing need to support and strengthen stage dramas. One of the main ways of achieving it is by preparing the new generation to embrace the beauty and meaningfulness of stage dramas.

To achieve this, it is important to initiate a discourse on the role of stage dramas in Sri Lanka’s culture, tradition, and society, and to facilitate the process of creating a new generation of stage drama lovers. 

Emphasising this timely need, the history of stage dramas and its future in Sri Lanka was discussed at a recent online discussion attended by Tower Hall Theatre Foundation Director General (DG) Dr. D.M.S. Dissanayake and the University of Colombo’s Department of Sinhala’s former Head Senior Prof. Anura Wickramasinghe. The discussion, organised by the Department of Government Information, further focused on the influence of the stage drama tradition that revolves around the Tower Hall and the growth of Sri Lanka’s stage drama sector, and what steps need to be taken for the country’s stage drama sector’s future. 

Tower Hall’s role in SL’s stage drama scene

According to Dr. Dissanayake, the Tower Hall, which was declared open in 1911, was not only a part of notable socially important movements and events but also initiated certain movements in the theatrical arts sphere. “Following the screening of the Pandukabhaya stage drama at the Tower Hall Theatre, the era of the “Tower Hall” came into existence in Sri Lanka. At a time when the main visual and auditory entertainment medium was the stage drama and there was no television or high quality, locally made movies, the Tower Hall Theatre played a role in instilling stage drama into the minds of Sri Lankan fans.” 

He also spoke of the trying times that the Tower Hall Theatre saw in the 1960s-1970s, adding that the decline of the institution also affected the artistes who were affiliated with it. At one point, he reminisced, the presenting of stage dramas in the Tower Hall Theatre was halted. However, it was restored later and the artistes were supported. This revival, he added, paved the way for the establishment of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, which at present renders a great service to the stage drama sector.

According to Prof. Wickramasinghe, the Tower Hall Theatre was the centre of the type of drama called “nurthi”, which he said focused on creating good citizens and society through stage dramas. He added that aside from that, there are a number of other specialities at the Tower Hall Theatre. Speaking of the influence of the Tower Hall Theatre, he explained that back then, stage dramas were associated with the general culture and that therefore, the Tower Hall Theatre had a strong connection with and an influence on Sri Lankan culture. “Not only did stage drama focus on visual entertainment but also discussed other aspects of the people’s lives through a theatrical performance, and stage drama played a key role in shaping people’s lives,” Prof. Wickramasinghe added.

Creating a new generation 

Meanwhile, Dr. Dissanayake explained that a number of initiatives are being implemented or planned in order to support stage dramas and artistes, and also to strengthen their relationship with the general public. The people and their limited attraction to stage drama, he said, is a situation that needs to be addressed. 

As part of these initiatives, a drama school has been set up at the Sandilippai Cultural Center in Jaffna for the children of the North. The first batch, which consists of 50 students, is currently studying at this school. The main objective of this initiative, Dr. Dissanayake said, is to provide trained labour for the stage drama industry. He is hopeful that such initiatives will help create actors, directors, and scriptwriters as well. In addition, he revealed that plans are afoot to hold a Tamil drama festival before the end of the year. In a context where bringing Tamil stage drama actors to Colombo is a costly endeavour, holding such a drama festival based on the drama school in Jaffna will be easier and would be a good opportunity for the people of the North and the East, according to Dr. Dissanayake. 

“This year, we are launching a course on acting. The speciality of this programme is that students will be enrolled based on their inherent skills and genuine interest, not necessarily on educational qualifications such as the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A/L) or Ordinary Level (O/L) qualifications. Through this course, National Vocational Qualification certificates will also be awarded, and the students will be trained to be the next generation of Tower Hall actors. This requires overseas training, especially to acquire the influence of countries with a developed stage drama culture, and the programme that is necessary to achieve it is being planned.”

At the same time, plans are afoot to train actors in music and dancing, in order to improve the quality of artistes who are currently being trained, and plans are in place to commence a suitable course. 

With regard to the need to have in place a programme to support young and school-level stage drama actors as well as upcoming actors, Dr. Dissanayake said: “The Tower Hall Foundation is conducting programmes to support them. However, more support is needed, including a national programme and a fund. At present, one of the main issues faced by young stage drama makers is the massive amount of money required to create a stage drama. I think that in the current context, it costs at least Rs. 3-4 million to create a drama that involves 30-40 individuals. If we had a strong fund, we would be able to provide financial assistance, such as a loan, to such individuals.” He expressed confidence about launching a national programme to establish such a fund in future.

Strengthening the stage drama industry

Dr. Dissanayake pointed out the importance of supporting not just the stage drama industry but also those involved in it, who have the potential to enter the industry. “Artistes in their old age and retired are provided with a pension. The biggest challenge we face in this regard is going beyond that pension in order to create an environment where those artistes are enabled to support themselves before or at the time of retirement. The necessary steps to achieve this are underway.”

He said that in many cases, stage dramas are shown in conference halls, which could affect the quality of such a performance, and that this situation has raised the importance of having a dedicated system of theatres for stage drama. He added that the existing theatres should be developed to the necessary level.

With regard to financial stability, Dr. Dissanayake added: “Instead of continuing to depend on the Treasury, especially in the current state of the country, the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation is planning to look for ways to earn adequate revenue in order to sustain itself within the coming two to three years.”

Meanwhile, both Prof. Wickramasinghe and Dr. Dissanayake spoke of education on stage drama and the theatrical arts in the education system. In this regard, Prof. Wickramasinghe pointed out that stage drama has become an important part of education, and that regardless of the teachers’ knowledge of drama, many teachers employ stage drama-related techniques and activities in academic activities. Dr. Dissanayake said: “Stage drama is a form of visual expression of free thinking, which, in most cases, is philosophical. This, therefore, is psychological. Stage dramas were shown due to many reasons, and in the current context, it is possible to use stage drama to convey developmental messages. However, we have to be careful because if we try to create a stage drama merely to express a certain message, it could affect the nature of the stage drama. The Tower Hall Theatre Foundation has been set up to build a high quality stage drama culture, and such high quality drama is created through certain economic, social, and political messages expressed through stage drama. However, limiting stage drama to a certain subject or matter could affect the quality of the stage drama. We have to identify what we want to build in this process. Stage drama should move forward through free thinking. I am of the opinion that the stage drama culture would collapse if we guide stage drama makers along a certain direction and create stage dramas within those limiting parameters.”